Wallboard has become an expensive commodity especially since energy costs have risen in recent years. Wastage factors start at ten percent for standard bi-level homes to fifteen percent for custom-built contemporary homes and ten percent or more for commercial buildings. A big factor in causing this waste is the undesirability of "butt-joints". Butt-joints are non-beveled end joints of wallboard requiring compound to seal the joints, and this compound is noticeable to the end user and is most unsightly and very undesirable. Unfortunately, the resulting joint is very difficult to conceal and even a highly skilled professional has a difficult time hiding such a joint. Also, tons of material is thrown out each year because it is too short and this is not at all economical as the cost of disposing of waste is escalating.
Furthermore, building materials expand or contract as the temperature and humidity inside a building change. As the building materials move, tension builds up against the wallboard panels causing ridging or bulging. The tension is relieved as the panels bend outward, usually at the joint. This so-called ridging can occur in regular tapered edge seams, but it is much more common in non-beveled recess butt-joints. Consequently, there is a great need for an economical solution to the aforementioned problems.
There have been numerous attempts within the prior art to resolve the problems associated with creating an aesthetically pleasing, economical and functional recess flush butt-joint but each have inherent disadvantages and drawbacks which the present invention addresses and resolves in a novel, unique manner heretofore not taught.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,651 entitled "WALLBOARD BEVELING APPARATUS" teaches a tool having a handle with a rotary blade. This tool is used after the wallboard has been installed and allows a worker to slide the tool along the recess flush butt-joint and bevel the material along the seam. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable because the tool also removes the bonded paper coating leaving the wallboard exposed and this causes many problems. For example this decreases the manufacturer's intended structural strength. Also, it is unlikely that this method or tool would comply with today's strict building and fire codes.
Further prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,042 entitled "DRYWALL JOINT FINISHING SYSTEM". Wherein they teach the use of multiple compounds and monofilament fibers which are used to fill in a recess formed within the panel edges. This system is much too costly, is very time consuming and the resultant seam must be covered with a very large amount of finishing compound.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,799,458 and 3,675,383 teach a method known as back-blocking which again is not feasible, as this is much to costly and time consuming.
Within all of the known prior art, the resultant seam is very difficult to conceal, thus a large amount of compound is necessary to provide a feathered flush appearance, this becomes most costly and wasteful and is a major disadvantage which the present method addresses and resolves.